Antifriction drawbar support



May 19,1927.

E. E. DUFFY ANTIFRICTION DRAWBAR SUPPORT Filed Dec. 10. 1925 Patented May 10, 1927.

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EDWARD a. Der-FY, or sen enromo, 'rnXAs.

ANTIFRICTION DEAVJBAR SUPPORT.-

Agplication fi led December 10, 1925. Serial No. 74,538.

My present invention has to do with the coupling means of railway cars, and more particularly to anti-friction means for supporting the draw bars of couplers.

The object of my said invention is the pro vision of improved means whereby incident to longitudinal and lateral movement of a draw bar when a railway car is in use the friction due to movements of the draw bar in either of the directions indicated will be reduced to a minimum and wear of the draw bar will be averted and the usefulness of the draw bar and the adjacent portions of the car structure will be prolol'lged.

Other objects and practical advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when the same are read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is a view showing a draw bar in side elevation and showing my improvement insection as properly arranged relative to the draw bar, the said showing being of the best practical embodiment of my invention of which I am cognizant.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of my improvement per se.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 4c is a top plan view of a modified exemplification of my improvement, designed more particularly for use on heavy cars.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 3, to which reference will first be made.

I show in Figure 1 a portion of a car 1, and I also show at 2 the draw bar of a coupler, the said (lraw bar being provided at its outer end with a head 3, and being czpable of longitudinal and lateral movement relative to the portion 1 in accordance with accepted practice.

In accordance with my invention a body fl: is appropriately connected to the car structure in a horizontal plane below the draw bar 2. The said body 4 is chambered in-its upper side as designated by 5, and in communication with the said chamber 5 and disposed at the bottom thereof are spaced pockets 6, the said pockets 6 depending from. the bottom of the chamber 5 about the pro portional distance illustrated.

Disposed in the pockets 6 and arranged with their greatest length in the direction of the length of the car are anti-friction rollers 7, said rollers 7 being capable of movement in the pockets 6 crosswise of the car and lengthwise of the body 4. It will also be readily apparent that the said rolls or rollers 7 are of such a diameter that they project .01- above the bottom of the chamber 5, Figures 1 and 3.

Superposed on the rolls 7 is a major roll 8, said roll 8 being movable in the chamber 5 and on the rolls 7 and in the direction of l the length of the car structure and at right angles or proximate right angles to the length of the body 4. The roll 8 is free to move about its axis. in all positions and is also capable of free movement in the direc- 7Q tion of the length of the car structure, and consequently it will be manifest that the said roll 8 will avert friction and frictional wear incident to longitudinal movements of the draw bar 2, and that when the draw bar 2 is thrust or moved laterally the friction will be reduced by the endwise movement of approximate endwise movement of the rolling on the minor rolls 7.

As clearly illustrated inFigure 4 my improvement may be duplicated for heavy. equipment, the modified construction shown in said figure including a body 4* with two chambers 5 therein and each chamber characterized by a con'iparatively deep pocket 6 and each chamber equipped with minor rolls 7 and a major roll 8 identical with the corresponding elements before described with reference to Figures 1 to It will be apparent from the foregoing that notwithstanding the simplicity, the compactness and the strength of my improvement, the in'iprovenient is highly efficient in s 'ing the purposes indicated; also, that the improvement is susceptible of being readily installed, and by the thorough man ner in which movements longitudinally and laterally of the draw bar are eased, the improvement in addition to lessening wear is calculated to improve the efliciency of the draw bar in accommodating itself to the swaying of the car and the movements of the car relative to other cars as when a train is passing tnrough a curve.

Vhile I prefer to employ a body such as described for carrying the rolls or rollers 7 and 8, I do not desire to be understoodas confining myself to the use of said body inasmuch as it is within the purview of my invention to mount the rolls or rollers 7 and 8 in dill'erent manners in different types of cars.

It will be appreciated, however, that a body in a single unit such as shown and descriliied increases the facility with which. my llHPJFOYGIHQIil. may be applied to a car in association with a draw bar, and I therefore prefer to employ a body such as "lor 11" as part ot my invention.

' l have specifically described the construc-- tion and relz'ltive arrangement ot the parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiment of my invention in order to impart a tall, clear and exact understanding of said embodiment. I. do not desire, however to be understood as confining: myself to the dirclosed construction and arrangen'ient oit elements, my invention being, defined by my KLPPQlHlQtl claims within the scope (it which structural changes and changes in arrangement may be made without departure from my invention.

Having described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by lictters-lhitent. is:

'1. The combination of a car, a draw bar. and an anti-triction draw bar support; the said support comprising a body connected with the car and having a chamber in its upper side contronting the underside of the draw bar and also having spaced pockets l(-pendin; 1' from the said chambelu anti-trio tion rolls disposed and 1m *able in said pockets and crosswise of the car, and a major roll disposed and bearing on the first-named rolls and contacting with the underside of the draw in and movable in the direction of the length of the car.

2. The combination of a car, a draw bar, capable of longitudinal and lateral move ment, and anti-friction means carried by the car and disposed under the draw bar for reducing: friction incident: to lon itudinal and lateral lIlOYBIDGlltS oi the draw bar; the said anti-friction means comprisint rolls movable in the direction of the width oi the car. and a roll disposed on and movable len; ;thwise ot the fil'Sl'd'lflDN-(l rollers and contacting with the ui'iderside of the draw bar and morable about its axis in the direction of the length of the car.

3. The colnbii'iatiou of a car a longitudinally and laterally movable draw bar, carrying means disposed under the draw bar and connected with the car and having a chamber confronting the underside of the draw be r and also having pockets depcndinn from said chamber, crosswise movable rolls in said pockets, and a lomritudinally movable roll. superposed on the, first-named rolls and serving as the direct support for the draw bar.

ll. Car equipment con'iprisingr a body with a chamber in its upper side and pockets dcpending: from said chamber, rolls disposed and movable in said pockets and a roll superposed on the lirsbnamed rolls and movable on and lemrthwise thereot in the said chamber.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

EDXVA'RD E. DUFFY. 

